Making Sense of Vinyl Record Ratings and Grading

If you've spent any time digging through crates at a local shop or scrolling through online marketplaces, you've probably realized that vinyl record ratings are basically the secret language of the hobby. It can be a little overwhelming at first. You see all these letters like NM, VG+, and G+ tossed around, and if you aren't sure what they mean, you might end up spending fifty bucks on a record that sounds like someone's frying bacon in the background. ...

May 3, 2026 · 7 min · Dolev Jimenez